


Show Me the Way

by WandaHart



Category: The Rolling Stones
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Elves, M/M, Minor Violence, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Quests, Royalty, i don't know how to tag
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-25
Updated: 2021-01-27
Packaged: 2021-03-03 22:42:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 16,822
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24903271
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WandaHart/pseuds/WandaHart
Summary: Seeing the beauty that the world outside of the palace walls had to offer filled Mick with a new hope. This was why he had left. His life spent practically a prisoner of the palace had been practically no life at all. His father could no longer keep these things from Mick. Now that he knew the feeling of the wind through his hair and the sun on his skin, Mick would never allow those to be taken away from him again.
Relationships: Mick Jagger/Keith Richards
Comments: 10
Kudos: 21





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This story is going to be a challenging one for me! Action is something I tend to struggle with when it comes to writing and this story is going to contain a lot! Hopefully, it'll help improve my skills and I'll come out a better writer.
> 
> My inspiration for this fic mainly comes from Lord of the Rings, Aladdin, Tangled, and even Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Try and see what's inspired by which! You'll probably notice a lot of inspiration from Lord of the Rings. I'd say that was definitely my top inspiration when writing this.
> 
> Anyways, thanks so much for reading and I hope you enjoy!

Willing his feet to go faster and further, Mick raced down the road. Thickets and low hanging branches stung his face as he rushed past. Never before had he ventured outside of the palace. Never before had he ventured this far. It was dark and visibility was limited. He stumbled over roots and stones. The pack he carried weighed him down and his speed was restricted.

“Stop! Stop! We command you to stop!”

The guards were gaining speed and catching up to him. Mick was tired. His lungs ached and his legs protested with every step he took. Never before had he run so far. Turning sharply, Mick veered off the road, cutting through the thick brush and trees in an attempt to lose his pursuers. The road was smoother and easier for him to travel on, but that meant the same for the guards chasing after him.

“This way! Quickly!”

The light of their torches followed after Mick who was now running low on energy. In a last effort to escape capture, Mick dove to the right, tumbling down into a nearby ditch. He frantically attempted to cover himself, pulling moss and ivy and shrubbery over his body. He laid low, listening to the sounds of the night that surrounded him. The wind rustled through the treetops and an owl hooted somewhere in the distance. Mick tried to slow his breathing, to silence the sound of his heavy panting. This was not how he planned his escape. When he had run off, he imagined it to be an easier endeavor. He did not think that his own father would report his disappearance to the guards. He did not think his own father would send them after him.

“Where did he run off to?” 

Through the leaves, Mick could see six guards. He knew them all. As the king’s son, he had been there when they were first appointed their positions. He had never had to worry about getting into trouble with them. Now, they were attempting to capture him. They stood facing out in all directions. The closest one stood so that if Mick were to reach out, he would be able to touch his leg. The torches they carried illuminated and shone off their armor. Their helmets glistened in the light. As did their swords.

“Split up. Search the area.” 

Mick clenched his eyes shut. He would be found if he stayed in his place. His heart hammered in his chest as he debated his next move. The nearby guard took a step in his direction.

Suddenly and without any warning, Mick bolted out from under his cover. The guards shouted as they grabbed at him and Mick tried to flee. The closest one had taken ahold of his pack though, his hand wrapped securely around the strap of it. Mick reacted quickly however and didn’t think twice before slipping off his pack and making a run for it. They were now directly on his tail as he raced through the woods. Mick tried to dodge any obstacles along his way, but the black of the night proved it difficult to see. The rough terrain of the forest floor was slowing him down.

A sharp pain shot through Mick as one of the guards grabbed on to him by his hair at the nape of his neck. Mick struggled in his grip, but it was of no use. The guard kept his hold on Mick firm whilst calling for the other guards. Mick silently cursed himself for not bringing a weapon along with him for his journey. He had been foolish enough to believe he wouldn’t need one. He had been foolish enough to believe his father would let him make his escape.

But in a moment of luck, the pressure of the guard’s hold shifted downward and the hold on Mick’s hair was lessened as the guard’s hand moved further down to grip at Mick’s cloak. Thinking on his feet once again, Mick hastily reached up to his neck and undid the clasp securing his cloak.

For the second time that night, Mick was free from the guard’s capture. He ran off again, leaving his cloak hanging limply in the clenched fist of the guard. He bounded through the trees faster than he thought possible. He could not return to that place. For if he was to return to Arnin he knew he would never get the chance to leave again. His father would make sure of it, Mick knew.

The guard couldn’t have been more than three feet behind him. Mick knew that this was it, his last chance. If he was caught again, there would be no escaping the guard’s clutches. Mick stumbled forward and suddenly, the ground was no longer under his feet. He fell hard, rolling over rocks and dirt, tumbling down the steep hillside and further into the forest until finally, he stopped. Mick found himself on his back, looking up through the trees and at the night sky. He stared at the moon, trying to orient himself. His fall had left him extremely dizzy. He could also feel a gash above his left eyebrow slowly dripping blood down the side of his face. He wished for a moment that he could stay right there, to take a moment to rest, but he knew he had to keep going. He was not yet safe.

Picking his head up, Mick could see the guard’s torches way off in the distance, at the top of the hill. From where Mick lay, they were only specks of light, much like the stars above him. Pulling himself off the ground, Mick stood and continued his run. He ran for what felt like hours at it probably was, though Mick had no way of telling the time. It was only when the sun started to rise and dawn broke, that Mick risked looking behind him. Of course, he had not heard the guards for several miles of travel now, but some part of Mick feared that when he turned, they would be there, standing right behind him and ready to bind his hands and return him to the palace, to his father.

It was only after he checked his surroundings and saw no immediate threat of capture, that Mick stalled his feet and stopped his fast pace. As much as he wanted to continue, every part of Mick’s body was screaming for him to stop and take a rest. So, that’s what he did. He positioned himself under the shade of a nearby pine tree, sitting with his back leaning against the trunk of it. It was only mere seconds after he closed his eyes, that he fell into sleep. He was excruciatingly tired, the previous night’s events having drained him of all energy.

It was his own hunger that woke Mick from his slumber. It was not the bright rays of sunlight that Mick first took notice of when he opened his bleary eyes, but the cramping of his stomach and the growling that followed shortly after it. Giving himself a minute to take in his surroundings, Mick propped himself further up against the tree trunk. He looked around. The road he initially had begun his journey on was nowhere in sight and he found he could not even remember which direction he came from. All around him stood the tall trees of the forest. He was lost already, after less than a day of being on his own. The map he had stowed away in his pack was long gone with the guards that took it. In the moment, it had seemed like a small price to pay for his freedom but now, he was regretting letting go of the pack. He rested his head back against the pine. Everything he had brought with him for his journey had been in there. All of his food, his map, even his water flask. It was all gone now, probably returned to his father. The only thing he carried with him now was a small satchel slung across his chest. In it though, was only three handfuls of gold he had stolen from his father. They were worth a lot, but gold coins would not do him much good if he couldn’t find a town to buy new provisions in. And in order to do that Mick needed to find the road again.

His legs were still sore and protested when he got to his feet, but Mick had no time to waste. Who knew if he was still on Alonen land? He needed to make it out of the kingdom, that way he wouldn’t have to worry about any more guards on his tail. He decided to randomly choose a direction and keep walking straight, that way at least he knew he would not be walking in circles. He could only pray to the gods that the route he chose would lead him closer to the main road and further away from Arnin, the capital city of Alonen and the place his father resided. It was where he had run from in the first place.

If he were to find the road, Mick figured he would most likely bump into a travelling merchant and be able to ask them for some direction. Then, he could find the nearest town off Alonen soil and take some time to purchase new provisions and prepare himself for the trip he intended to take to Wattica.

He walked for hours, trying to keep track of any unique-looking rocks or trees he passed in case he found he needed to turn back around. As the sun slowly made its trek across the sky, Mick’s spirits began to dwindle. His hunger and thirst had doubled since he’d first awoken and his body ached with every step forward. Not only were his muscles beyond tired but he had earned himself many bruises from his trip down the hillside. The cut on his forehead also stung a great deal.

He decided to take a break, to try and replenish his energy. His plan was to keep walking until nightfall, but he needed to stop shortly. He sat on a large rock, resting his weary body and thinking about what he had gotten himself into. He had hated his life in Arnin, but was running away really going to solve his problems? And would the city of Wattica have what he was looking for? What was it he was even looking for? He was not sure yet.

He hummed a little tune to himself as he observed the nature around him. The forest really was magical. Birds of all types flew high above him, twittering and singing to each other, while insects floated from flower to flower. He watched it all with wide-eyed fascination. These were all new sights to him. He had read of all these creatures, yes, but seeing them with his own eyes was something else entirely he found. Seeing the beauty that the world outside of the palace walls had to offer filled Mick with a new hope. This was why he had left. His life spent practically a prisoner of the palace had been practically no life at all. His father could no longer keep these things from Mick. Now that he knew the feeling of the wind through his hair and the sun on his skin, Mick would never allow those to be taken away from him again.

Mick was busy watching a butterfly of some sorts drink the nectar out of a wildflower when it happened. The faint sound of crunching leaves was what originally drew his attention to something behind him, but what he saw when he stood was what really got him looking. There was a man!

At the sight of him, Mick hurriedly crouched down behind the rock he had previously been resting on to remain out of the stranger’s view. Never before had Mick encountered a man before! His contact with others had been limited to his family and the palace staff his entire life, but Mick knew that humans were not very common in these parts. Elves tended to stick with their own kind as did humans. At least, that’s what Mick had read in his books. What was this human doing in Alonen, an elvish kingdom?

 _Maybe_ , Mick thought, _I’ve crossed the border into another kingdom!_ The mere idea excited him. Perhaps he was close to the road as well. It was not common for folk to be travelling through the forest. Not when the main road was so easily accessible in this area. This man could have just stepped off the road for a short while.

Still taking measures to avoid being seen, Mick kept pace with the man who was walking at a steadfast rate. The man travelled on foot, leading a horse behind him. The horse did not carry much on its back, only one pack and what appeared to be a bedroll, so Mick was able to infer that the man was probably no merchant. There was nothing for him to possibly be selling. Mick’s curiosity only grew as he took notice of the sword attached to the man’s hip.

Could this man be a ranger like in all the stories Mick read, someone sworn to protect the world of all evils, to fight for the good of its people? He certainly looked the part. His dark hair was long and shaggy, resting barely above the shoulders and his clothes, a dark red shirt paired with black trousers and a dark grey cloak, looked well-worn. His boots were spattered with dried mud and Mick almost blew his cover straining his neck to get a better look at them.

Mick was aware that he was walking back the direction he came from, but he figured the man probably knew where he was going. At least, he looked like he did, and it wasn’t like Mick had any clue. As long as he wasn’t headed deeper into Alonen or back to Arnin, Mick was fine following him. And considering how unkindly Mick knew his father took to outsiders, Mick had a feeling they weren’t headed in that direction.

Stealthily, Mick tracked him and the horse from several paces back. He walked lightly on his toes to avoid making any noise, something that came quite easily to him. It was a perk that came with being an elf. He hadn’t been following the man for long when he came across a stream. The man continued walking past it, but Mick could not resist the temptation to stop and drink from it. Dropping down onto his knees, Mick knelt next to the small stream and dipped his cupped hands into the water. Mick felt immensely better after drinking several handfuls of it. He had begun to get worried about finding a water source and was relieved now to have found one. Still kneeling on the ground, Mick turned his head to look back into the forest and check on the whereabouts of the man and the horse, but there was no sign of him. They couldn’t have gone very far, Mick knew, because he had only stopped for a short while to drink. Maybe he had taken a turn somewhere? Panicing slightly at the thought of having lost the man, Mick swiveled his head to check in the other direction and came face to face with a sword.

He jumped in surprise as the tip of the blade was pressed to his neck. Not daring to move his head, Mick looked up with his eyes alone. Dark brown eyes met his. The man he had been following stood above him.

“Who are you?” the man growled out, fixing Mick with a steely glare and adjusting the grip on his sword.

Mick gulped. “Um, my name is Michael,” he stammered out nervously. His eyes flickered between the sword and the man. The want to explain himself and his doings was present, but he was afraid that the man would not want any unsolicited information from him.

“Alright Michael,” the man drawled out slowly. “Give me one reason why I shouldn’t kill you.”

Mick’s eyes bulged almost comically. “What?” he gasped. Why would this man want to kill him? Maybe he wasn’t a ranger like Mick had suspected. “Please don’t,” Mick said, attempting to back away from the sword that was so dangerously close to his throat.

The man gazed down at Mick for a little while, obviously trying to figure out what to make of him. Eventually he sighed and sheathed his sword. It was abundantly clear to him that this frightened elf did not pose any danger. The poor thing was practically shaking in fear. “Why were you following me?” he asked, gesturing for the elf to rise to his feet.

“Well, I seemed to have lost my way,” Mick answered, standing up and brushing invisible dust off the front of his tunic. “I thought perhaps if I followed you, I might happen upon the road again.”

“And how was it that you lost the road in the first place?” the man asked, tone suspicious. It was not often one came across a wayward elf.

Mick faltered. He could not tell this man of the guards or of his escape from Arnin. “I lost my map,” he said simply, not providing any more information.

The man’s expression was unreadable as he contemplated Mick’s obvious excuse. Deciding that Mick was probably not worth his time and noting his lack of weapon, he asked him no further questions. He really just wanted to carry on his way and this elf was no threat to him.

“The road is that way.” The man jerked his thumb somewhere off to the right. “You’ve wandered far. You are on the very outskirts of Alonen soil. I suggest you find the road before dark. These woods aren’t safe. They are full of dangers,” he warned.

“Like you?” Mick asked, attempting to make a joke, but also curious as to what the man would say.

The man didn’t laugh. “Exactly,” he said, before brushing past Mick and beginning his trek through the forest again.

Not enjoying the prospect of being on his own again, Mick chased after him. “Wait!” he called, jogging to catch up with the man. “I was actually on my way out of Alonen. I could use a guide.”

Understanding what Mick was hinting at, the man scowled slightly. “I am no guide.”

“Then what are you?” Mick asked. The man had now stopped and was untying the reigns of his horse which he had tethered to a tree. “A ranger?” Mick tried not to sound too excited at the prospect.

The man’s scowl deepened. “No.”

“Then what?” Mick pestered, still walking alongside the man.

“Then nothing! I am entitled to my own business. Now leave me be,” the man scolded, glaring at the elf who was now starting to become a little bit of a nuisance to the man.

“Oh.” Mick stopped walking and the man continued past him with his horse. He’d obviously annoyed the man with his pestering. It hadn’t been his intent. He was just so curious. His shoulders slumped as he watched the man walk away from him. He tried to come up with an idea that would persuade the man to let him stay in his company.

Mick thought back to his collection of books sitting in his room back in the palace. In all the stories and fairy tales he had read, there was only two things people always wanted. Those things were money and love. _Aha!_ Mick thought. _Money, that was the answer!_

“I could pay you!” Mick yelled after him. “With gold!"

At the mention of gold, the man halted his walking. He slowly turned around to face Mick. “Gold?” he questioned, his eyebrow raised.

Mick smiled excitedly at the man’s interest. There was a chance this plan would work. Reaching into his satchel he procured a small leather pouch of coins. “Twenty gold pieces,” Mick said, holding out the pouch. “It’s yours if you guide me to Wattica.”

The man barely had to think it through before agreeing. “Deal.” The journey to Wattica should only take about a week’s time and it was an easy journey. Twenty gold pieces was a high reward for such a simple task. He walked back to where Mick stood and reached out his hand to take the pouch.

Mick pulled it back quickly to his chest. At the man’s affronted look, he explained. “You will receive your payment once we reach Wattica.” Mick had worries that the man would take the money from him and run.

“You think I would steal it?” the man asked. He sounded offended but also slightly amused.

Mick glanced down at the coins cradled to his chest. “You are a stranger to me,” he mumbled, feeling a tang of guilt for insulting the man’s honor. “I do not even know your name.”

The man pondered this for a moment before replying. “My name is Keith,” he said. “And if I really wanted to rob you, there is nothing stopping me from killing you and taking the gold.”

He spoke like that information should be reassuring to Mick, but Mick was perturbed.

Keith chuckled lowly at the frightened expression that Mick’s face took on. “How am I supposed to believe your word?” he countered. “What is stopping you from running off with the gold once we reach Wattica?”

“I would not cheat you like that,” Mick said earnestly. “Besides, you just said you would have little difficulty taking the money by force,” he pointed out.

This earned Mick another small chuckle from Keith. “Very well,” he said. “I suppose that is true. Have we made a deal?”

Mick nodded. “I believe we have,” he said. “Twenty gold coins for safe deliverance to Wattica.”

Keith nodded as well, agreeing with Mick’s words. He stuck out his hand. “Deal.”

Mick looked down at Keith’s hand confusedly. The gesture made no sense to Mick.

Sensing his confusion, Keith explained. “You’re supposed to shake hands with me now.” He waited expectantly for Mick to do so, his hand still outstretched towards him.

Hesitantly, Mick reached out and clasped Keith’s hand in his own. Keith’s hand was rough and calloused, the complete opposite of Mick’s hands which were smooth and soft. They shook there hands up and down twice before Keith pulled his hand away.

“See?” Keith said, turning back around and heading back toward his horse. “That’s how you finalize a deal.”

Mick nodded silently, though he was still bewildered. There was no such custom in Elven culture, and he had never read about anything like that before. It became clear to him that there were probably many things he still had to learn about the world.

“Are you coming?” Keith called over his shoulder. Mick was still standing in the same spot he had left him. “I want to be out of Alonen before dark.”

Keith’s voice snapped Mick out of his thoughts. “Yes,” he said, trotting quickly over to Keith. “Yes, I’m coming.”


	2. Chapter 2

Something Keith figured out very quickly was that Mick liked to ask a lot of questions. They had only been walking for an hour or so and Mick had already managed to get on Keith’s nerves with all his chatter.

“How long do you suppose it will take to reach Wattica?”

“Why do you travel through the woods instead of on the road?”

“Do you know what kind of tree that is?”

These were just some of the endless questions Mick had asked Keith. Keith mostly replied with short one-word answers. Sometimes he chose not to respond at all. That didn’t seem to deter Mick though because he just kept on going.

It was when Mick started asking about his personal life that Keith cut him off.

“Michael,” Keith said, interrupting his next question. “For the love of the gods, please stop talking.”

Mick had the decency to look a little embarrassed. “My apologies,” he mumbled. “You can call me Mick by the way. That’s what I prefer.”

Keith felt a little bad for snapping at the elf but didn’t reply to him. He just kept walking forward. The sun would be setting soon, and they would have to stop and make camp shortly. Hopefully, they would reach the town of Lyndale in two days or so. Keith could get more food and supplies for the rest of their journey there.

They only ended up walking another mile before Keith stopped and instructed that they should set up camp for the night. He led Mick and his horse, Catori, to a part of the forest where the ground was relatively flat and began to unpack what he needed. It had not occurred to him until this moment, however, that Mick carried no pack and was without any belongings besides his satchel filled with gold.

“You left Alonen to travel to Wattica and you did not bring a pack?” Keith asked, securing Catori’s reigns to a tree and retrieving his pack from her back.

Mick looked up at Keith from where he had taken a seat on a large tree root. He was not entirely sure what to tell Keith. He felt he could not disclose who he was to the man. Not when he knew practically nothing about him.

“I lost it,” Mick eventually said. It was a silly excuse and Mick knew that Keith was fully aware he was lying, but he could not think of anything else to say.  
Keith did not point out his lie though. He just nodded his head and busied himself with unrolling his bedroll. After doing so, he joined Mick in sitting down. He stretched his legs out in front of him and watched the elf out of the corner of his eye.

Mick appeared to be deep in thought. His mouth was set into a deep frown and his brows were knitted together. His brown locks of hair fell around his face.

Keith had come across a few elves in his lifetime but never before had he met one like Mick. Elves had always struck Keith to think quite highly of themselves, acting entitled and better than thou. They walked around with their heads held high and their strides confident. They seemed sharp and cunning and regal. Mick was not any of those things. Mick seemed more demure and a little lost. In fact, he did not act like an elf at all. If it wasn’t for his slender form, pale skin, and pointed ears, Keith might even think he was some other race entirely.

“What business do you have in Wattica?”

The question had been on Keith’s mind since Mick had first stated the city as his destination. Wattica was a small city with its own sovereignty. It had gained its independence only a couple decades ago. What had started as an uprising of servants turned into a full-blown revolution. Eventually, the city was taken by a group of rebels who afterwards appointed their own king. King Thaltus was now gone, but his son King Charles continued to rule over the city-state. During King Thaltus’s reign, Wattica was almost lost several times. The threat of the realm Rinder retaking the city had been strong. King Charles had drastically changed the city’s fate though when he came into power. Crafting treaties and building alliances, Wattica was now no longer threatened by its neighboring kingdoms and the land was known as a city built on peace and equality for all. All that being said, not many travelers frequented Wattica. Not many were allowed entry. In order to protect the city and its people from any unforeseen dangers, King Charles had built a huge wall that surrounded the city in its entirety. One had to be granted entry by a guard before being allowed to step into the city.

“What?”

Mick had missed Keith’s question, too engrossed in his own thoughts to have made out what Keith had asked him.

Keith asked again. “What business do you have in Wattica?”

Mick nodded his head, as if he had expected Keith to ask him this. “There are stories,” he began. “Stories of those who seem to have no place in this world finding a home in Wattica, finding sanctuary.”

Keith nodded along. There had been tales, yes, rumors of the kind of folk King Charles granted refuge to. It was partly how Wattica had received its reputation for being peaceful. Beings of all kind were reported to have been given asylum by the king. Shapeshifters, humans, dwarves, and even cave trolls had supposedly been given their chance to make a case to the king as to why they should be allowed to live within the city walls.

“And you,” Keith said, “you feel you have no place in Alonen?” He was confused to say the least. Alonen was one of two of the remaining kingdoms of elves. Why would Mick want to leave his people behind?

At this, something seemed to stir up inside of Mick. Something between anger and fear and bitterness. “I do not wish to say anymore on the matter,” he said pointedly. “I am entitled to my own business.” He dropped his gaze to the tree root he was sat upon and picked at the bark with his fingernails, busying himself.

Keith recognized Mick’s words as the words he had spoken to him earlier that day. _I am entitled to my own business._

“Very well,” Keith said, agreeing to drop the subject. If Mick did not want to speak on the subject anymore than Keith would abide. Keith supposed it was not important why Mick was going to Wattica anyways. As long as Keith received his payment at the end of the journey, there would be no concerns raised from Keith.

“We need to collect firewood,” Keith instructed, changing the topic of conversation. “It will be dark soon and we need to build a fire while we still have some light.”

Both Mick and Keith rose to their feet and set off to scavenge the forest floor in search of wood. They both stayed in sight of the camp as to not get lost. Keith kept a careful eye on Catori. She had been his companion for years now and as loyal and loving as she was, Keith was aware that the horse liked to wander off in search of better tasting plants to graze on. Even tied to a tree, Keith knew she would try and make her escape and he did not feel like having to go find her and bring her back as he had done many times in the past.

Once his arms were full of small logs and kindling for the fire, Keith returned to where they had decided to make camp. Mick returned only a moment after him and dumped his pile of wood next to Keith’s. Keith immediately set to arranging the wood in a pyramid-like fashion. As Keith began to build the fire, Mick took his seat on the large root again. He watched as Keith built the fire with practiced expertise, the flame growing from just a spark to a strong burst of flames in just minutes.

The fire cast an orange glow around them. The sun had begun to set now, and shadows slowly crept through the forest, blanketing everything with darkness. Mick’s eyes travelled from Keith’s hands up to his face. He wondered if all men looked this way. With his sharp cheekbones, scruffy stubble, and tangled hair, Keith seemed as if he had spent a lifetime in the forest. Did all men appear so rugged?

Mick continued watching him as Keith reached into his pack and pulled out some food. He produced two small packages wrapped in brown parchment and tied closed with twine. Opening them, Keith tore off a chunk of bread and a piece of salted pork with his hands. Keith stared intently into the fire as he chewed. If he noticed Mick staring longingly at his food, he did not say anything. Mick had not eaten anything since the afternoon prior and felt as if his stomach was collapsing in on itself from hunger. Never before had he gone this long without eating but asking Keith for some of his food supply felt wrong. Especially after he had just shot down Keith’s attempt to get to know him better. Mick tried not to feel too bad about refusing to talk more about his personal life. It was not as if Keith had been willing to share any information about his. Still, the pain in his stomach seemed to stem from both guilt and hunger.

“My family,” Mick said softly, breaking the silence that had overtaken them for quite some time, “they do not understand me or perhaps, it is me who does not understand them.”

Keith stopped mid-chew to look in the direction of the elf. He looked so solemn as he spoke.

“They do not know where I am headed. They did not even know I planned to leave,” Mick continued. “I do not imagine they are very pleased with me.” Mick had been surprised when the royal guard had chased after him because he assumed his father would have been pleased to hear of his disappearance, that his burden of a son was finally gone from his life. But sending the guard after him made Mick realize that his father was most likely very unhappy with him and his decision to leave.

“You do not have to tell me this,” Keith said, finally responding to all that Mick had just told him. Earlier, the elf had seemed very adamant that he did not want to discuss this with Keith.

“I know,” Mick said. He, like Keith before, was looking into the fire as he spoke. “It feels good to get it off my chest though. I’ve never told anyone this before. I’ve never really had anyone to talk to.”

Keith turned to the fire as well, suddenly feeling awkward with what Mick had said. He had only just met him, and Mick was already entrusting him with his secrets. It felt odd. Keith was not one to partake in any sort of sappy or vulnerable conversations, so he chose to remain silent, to end the conversation with what Mick had said. He did, however, throw a bit of bread over the fire and towards Mick.

Neither of them spoke again until the sun had fully set and the moon was high.

“You can take first watch,” Keith said, startling Mick who had begun to feel drowsy. 

His heavy eyes took a moment to focus in on the man. “Watch?” Mick questioned. It had not occurred to him that they would need to keep watch. “Keep watch for what?”

“Anything really,” Keith replied throwing another stick in the fire. “Other travelers, wolves, a rogue pack of orcs. Who knows what lies out there in the dark?”

A shiver of fear ran through Mick. He had never considered there may be such threats in the forest. His eyes scanned the trees around them for any sign of danger.

As if sensing his nerves, Keith spoke up again. “Everything should be fine. Just keep an eye on Catori and make sure she doesn’t wander off.”

Mick nodded his head and with that, Keith settled down onto his bedroll. He pulled his cloak tight around him and shut his eyes. It only took about five minutes before Keith was asleep which amazed Mick greatly. How could someone sleep with the idea that there may be orcs or wolves about? Mick, himself was extremely on edge. There was so little he had experienced being tucked away in the palace all those years and the unknown things that may be lurking in the darkness terrified him. He scooted closer to the fire and kept an eye on Catori like Keith had said. He tried to focus on anything but the woods around him. He put some sticks into the fire like he had observed Keith doing earlier and simply sat, waiting. 

He had no idea how long he had been sat there when he heard the noise behind him. Mick instantly perked up and listened more carefully, trying to get a sense of where the sound was coming from and what could possibly be making it. He heard it again. There was the distinct sound of something rustling in the leaves behind him. He swiveled around quickly, his heart beating rapidly in his chest, but he could not make out anything in the darkness. Mick looked back in the other direction. Both Keith and Catori were sleeping peacefully.

Mick turned back to the dark forest yet again, contemplating what he was to do. Deciding that there was no way he was going to face whatever was in the woods alone, Mick shuffled backwards to Keith, keeping his eyes trained to the spot in the trees where he could still hear some rustling. Something was definitely there.

“Keith,” Mick whispered once he was closer to the man. “Keith.” The man in question grumbled slightly but did not wake. There was more rustling and this time it sounded like whatever was causing the noise was coming closer. “Keith,” Mick whispered once again, nudging Keith’s arm slightly with his foot. 

Keith shot up in an instant. It took only a second for him to grab his sword and get to his feet. After quickly surveying the camp for any immediate sign of danger, he turned to Mick. “What is it?” he asked.

Mick bit his lip nervously and pointed a shaky finger to the woods. “There, there was a noise,” he said.

Keith picked up a stick from the pile of firewood they had collected and stuck it into the fire. Gripping both his sword and the make-shift torch, he stepped towards the trees where Mick had pointed. He raised the torch in the air, trying to get a look at what was out there. In the fire’s light, two bright eyes reflected back from up in one of the trees.

“There!” Mick said, directing Keith’s gaze with his hand. “It’s up there.”

Keith looked up and frowned. He turned back to Mick. “Are you serious?”

Mick furrowed his brow. “What do you mean?” he asked. Keith did not sound very concerned about whatever was up in that tree.

Keith sighed and shook his head. He walked back to the fire and threw the torch into the flames. “It’s a raccoon,” he said.

“A raccoon?” Mick looked back at the tree but without the torch the glowing eyes were no longer visible. 

“Do not tell me you have never heard of a raccoon before,” Keith said with a look a disdain. 

Mick bristled slightly. “Of course I have,” he snapped, feeling a little foolish for waking Keith up because of some harmless little forest creature. “I just, I just have never seen one is all. Not a real one at least.”

Keith regarded him as if he had two heads. “How has one never- oh no.” He cut himself off with a groan. 

Turning to see what Keith now was looking at, Mick saw that the tree where Catori had previously been tied to was abandoned. “She was just there, I swear,” he said, not wanting Keith to think he had not done his job properly. “She was sleeping.”

Keith cursed. “Well, she’s gone now.” He wiped his hand down his face. “She will not have gone far,” he said. “You stay here while I go look for her.”

“Wait,” Mick protested while Keith made another torch. “Shouldn’t I come with you?” He did not like the idea of the two of them splitting up.

Keith did not even turn to speak to him, already on his way to look for the horse. “No. You will only slow me down. Just wait here until I return,” he said, walking deeper into the forest.

Mick really could do nothing but sit by the fire again and wait. Thankfully, Keith was back with Catori relatively shortly. Mick was happy to not be alone for any longer.

“Go to sleep,” Keith instructed Mick, tying Catori’s reigns once again to the tree. This time he took extra care to tighten the knots. “I will keep guard for the rest of the night.”

Mick simply nodded. In his opinion, Keith seemed a little cross. Mick had a feeling that the man was not too pleased with Mick waking him up because of a silly raccoon. Wordlessly, he slid off the log and sat on the ground leaning his back against the log. It was not the most comfortable position to sleep in, but the hard ground did not seem appealing to rest his back upon either.

“Sleep on the bedroll.” Keith surprised Mick with his words. “There is no use having neither of us on it.” He, like earlier, did not look at Mick as he spoke.

“Oh,” Mick said, standing up. He moved to the bedroll and laid down. “Thank you, Keith.” There was no response. “Good night,” he whispered, not entirely sure who he was talking to, himself or Keith. He closed his eyes and tiredness overcame him quickly. It had been a long and eventful day, but he could not even think back on it before he was taken by sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the third chapter! Hard to believe I'm already over 10,000 words. This is definitely going to be a long one... thanks so much for reading!

Dawn came much too soon for Mick’s liking. He could have slept for another six hours but Keith had shaken him awake once the sun had started to rise and instructed him to get to his feet. Mick groaned tiredly as Keith yanked the bedroll out from under him, dumping Mick unceremoniously into the dirt.

“Come on,” Keith said. “We don’t want to lose any daylight. We should reach Lyndale by tomorrow if we pick up the pace.”

“Lyndale?” Mick asked, standing up and straightening out his clothes. “Why are we going to Lyndale?”

Keith finished securing his pack and bedroll to Catori, who had thankfully managed to stay put the rest of the night. Keith decided that he would have to double-knot her reigns from now on. “We need to stock up on more supplies,” he replied simply.

Mick thought back to the maps he had seen of this area. “But Lyndale is in the opposite direction of how we need to go. We need to be heading south,” he protested. 

“I know that,” Keith replied, beginning to lead Catori through the woods without waiting for Mick. When Mick finally caught up to him, he elaborated further. “We’ll go to Lyndale, buy more supplies, then head south for Wattica.”

“Oh,” Mick said. “What kind of supplies?” he asked.

Keith emitted a tired-sounding sigh. “Do you always talk this much? I thought elves were supposed to be quiet beings.”

Mick did not say anything in response but ducked his head in quiet shame. He knew it would be unwise to annoy Keith, especially this early on in their trek to Wattica. Wanting to stick on Keith’s good side, he bit his tongue to avoid asking any more potentially bothersome questions.

After several minutes of silence, Keith took pity on the elf. Perhaps he had spoken to harshly to him. After all, he had just been curious as to what they were going to buy. “We will need to replenish our food supply,” Keith said, breaking the heavy silence. Mick kept on staring at his boots as they walked. “We should get another pack too,” Keith added after looking at him.

Mick flushed slightly under Keith’s gaze. “Oh, yes,” he stammered slightly. “I suppose I will need one of those.”

Keith hummed in response. “We should get you a cloak as well,” he said as they continued walking. “Summer is dwindling, and the air will begin to get cold at night soon.”

Mick nodded and offered Keith a small smile. The gesture was not returned though. Keith looked away and pretended to adjust Catori’s halter instead. The rest of the day was spent in relative silence, Mick taking the hint that Keith was not too pleased to spend his day answering Mick’s questions. He still had a lot he wanted to ask about but decided to save them for another time.

Like the night before, they set up camp around sundown. Keith built a small fire which they both huddled around until Keith decided it was time for sleep. This time, Keith offered to take first watch which Mick was quite pleased about. He curled up by the fire on Keith’s bedroll again and shut his eyes. Unlike the night before though, Mick did not fall asleep right away. His thoughts kept him awake for a little while. Mick had a lot going on in his mind. His life had completely changed in the past three days. From leaving Alonen, meeting Keith, and beginning his journey to Wattica, everything was different from the life he used to know. Life inside the palace walls had been so limiting. The only idea of what went on in the outside world came from the books he read. Mick’s father had always told Mick that reading was a waste of his time, that they were just filling his head with nonsense, but Mick was glad he had not listened to his father about that. His books and readings had been his escape his entire life. At least, until now. Now, he really had managed to escape.

He had been lucky to have run into Keith. If he had not found someone to help him out, he figured he would probably be dead by now or captured by Alonen guards. Who knew if they were still out looking for him? Mick mused that he was also lucky he had been able to convince Keith to show him the way to Watica, not only because he was desperate for a guide, but because Keith seemed like a good choice to Mick. Sure, he was a little standoffish and broody, but he clearly knew what he was doing and seemed very sharp minded.

Mick’s final thoughts before he drifted off were about his father, King Rúcimion of Alonen. He wondered what his father would think if he could see his son now. He wondered if his father hated him for what he had done or if the king was secretly pleased to be rid of Mick, whom he had always seen as a stain on his good name and had tried to hide away from the rest of the world.

Keith woke Mick up halfway through the night in a similar fashion to how he had done so in the morning. He simply called Mick’s name a few times, until the elf was stirring, before sliding the bedroll out from under him. Mick was left glaring at Keith who was already halfway asleep. Mick shook his head to rouse himself some and began his turn of taking watch.

The problem with keeping watch, Mick found, was that it was very boring most the time. There were no mysterious noises like there had been the night before. The only sound in the forest was the faint chirping of crickets and Mick found himself struggling to keep his eyelids from falling closed. The fire was still going, and the warmth fell over Mick like a blanket. All he wanted to do was go back to sleep and as much as he tried to fight it, his exhaustion eventually won in the end.

It was the sound of Catori’s screams that woke Mick. It was awful, the noise. It was raw and animalistic and sounded like fear itself. Mick was not even aware a horse could make such a sound. He also was not aware he had fallen asleep.

He bolted to his feet, immediately coming to his senses. Catori was surrounded by wolves, each one snarling and biting and trying to leap onto her back. Keith was also up now, sword in hand and already charging at the wolves. With one swing of his sword, he was able to take down one of the wolves that was latching onto Catori.

Mick stood frozen where he was, watching the chaos ensue, until Keith, still desperately trying to pull the wolves off of his horse’s back, reached to his belt with one hand and threw a large hunting knife back towards Mick.

“Help me out!” Keith shouted, managing to slay another wolf. There were still five wolves left though.

Mick scrambled to pick up the knife at his feet. He gripped it nervously in his hands, unsure of how to hold it or what he should do. 

Catori was kicking with all her might, rearing up on her back legs and attempting to stomp down on the ravenous creatures. She pulled with all her might against her reigns, but Keith had taken extra care to secure them. Seeing her struggle seemed to snap him out of his daze and Mick raced forward to help Keith fight off the rest of the pack.

With no planning or time to stop and think about what he was about to do, Mick plunged his knife into the upper back of the closest wolf. The action successfully drew the animal away from Catori, the pain of the knife causing the wolf to fall to its belly. The knife was still dug deep into its flesh and blood began to ooze out from around the metal blade. The wolf, however, was only wounded, not dead. Its attention turned from the horse and to Mick. Slowly, it picked itself back up to its feet and faced Mick, its attacker. Any feeling of accomplishment completely left Mick when the yellow eyes of the wolf met his. The wolf was huge, probably standing at about five feet and definitely weighing well over two hundred pounds. Mick was on his back in an instant, being tackled by the beast in less than a second of it turning around. It stood over him, growling in both pain and anger. A string of drool dripped down from its parted mouth and landed onto Mick’s cheek. 

_This is it_ , Mick thought. _This is how I am going to die._

But just as the wolf opened its mouth and revealed its horrifying set of yellowing teeth, a blade was being brought down upon it, severing its head off completely. Mick screamed at the sight of the wolf’s head falling off to the side and the feeling of its now decapitated body collapsing on top of his. Keith’s face appeared above him, spattered with blood.

“Come on,” he said, looking down at Mick with a serious expression.

Mick had to use all his strength to wiggle his way out from underneath the wolf’s body. He was absolutely soaked in the blood of the wolf. “Where’s Catori?” he asked once he was free and standing again. Catori was no longer tethered to the tree. The carcasses of four wolves lay around them.

“I finally managed to cut her reigns,” Keith said, a bit breathless. “We have to go find her.”

It was not difficult to see which direction the horse had run off to. A trail of blood leading deeper into the woods was clearly visible. Keith made a torch and both he and Mick began the search for Catori. It did not take long for them to find her. Her injuries had slowed her down substantially and she had been followed by the two wolves that Keith had not managed to kill back at the camp.

Mick felt like he was going to be sick when they came upon her. Catori was on her side and whinnying feebly. Bite marks and scratches covered her body and dripped blood onto the soft earth below her. The worst of it was her back leg, which had been completely ripped open and was now being feasted upon by the two remaining wolves.

Keith charged at the wolves and slaughtered them quickly, fueled by anger for what they had done to his poor horse.

Catori continued to breathe heavily as Keith dropped to his knees next to her. Stroking her mane gently, Keith carefully lifted Catori’s head into his lap. Mick watched with a sense of intrusion as Keith spoke gently to the horse. He felt like he was looking in on some private moment. For the first time since Mick had met him, Keith’s emotions seemed bared.

“Shh,” he cooed softly, “It is alright now. They cannot hurt you anymore.”

Slowly and discreetly, as to not scare the horse anymore, Keith lifted his knife behind Catori’s head. Then, quickly he brought it down and slit Catori’s throat, effectively ending her pain and suffering. He held her head in his lap for a few more moments and gave her a few strokes on the head before gently placing her head back onto the ground and standing up.

Mick had been watching when Keith killed Catori and had been completely shocked by the action. Deep down inside of him, he knew that Catori would die one way or another and that it was more humane to have put her out of her misery, but it still felt wrong to him for Keith to have taken away such a beautiful soul.

“You owe me a horse.”

Keith’s words were not what Mick had been expecting to hear after what had just happened. “What?” Mick asked, baffled.

“You owe me a horse,” Keith repeated. He glared at Mick. “This is your fault. If you had not fallen asleep when keeping watch this never would have happened. It is your fault she’s dead.” He motioned back to Catori’s body.

Mick was overcome with the urge to both run away or curl up into a ball. He knew Keith was right. It _was _his fault. If he had stayed awake like he was supposed to, he would have seen the wolves coming. He would have heard them before they arrived. It would have given him and Keith a head start in warding them off. Not to mention that if Mick had been more diligent the previous night, Catori wouldn’t have wandered off and Keith would not have started to secure her reigns in such a fashion that she could not escape the attack from tonight.__

____

____

“I am so sorry Keith,” Mick said, feeling overwhelmed with guilt. “You have to know this was never my intent.”

Keith sheathed his sword after wiping it clean on his trousers. “I do not know what it is like for elves,” Keith said bitterly, “but out here sorry is not worth a thing. Catori is dead and no number of apologies could ever make up for your carelessness.”

Mick fidgeted in his place, feeling like a scolded child. He did not say anything back though. Keith seemed truly enraged with him, and that plus his bloodied and disgruntled appearance scared Mick.

“Once we reach Lyndale,” Keith continued, “you will buy me a new horse and then we will go our separate ways. Keep your gold and find yourself a new guide.”

“No!” Mick practically shouted. “Please do not do this. I will buy you a new horse, I will, but please, please do not abandon me,” he begged.

Keith scoffed at Mick’s pleas. “I’m not abandoning you. I will take you to Lyndale. There are plenty of greedy men there that would love to have your gold.”

“But I do not know them! How can I know they are good people?

“ _I_ am not a good person,” Keith pointed out, still sounding quite angry.

“But you are,” Mick protested. “I know you are and because I know that, I can trust you.”

This seemed to anger Keith even further. “Trust me?” he asked, eyebrows raised. He let out a sarcastic laugh. “I’ve known you for two days. How could you possibly trust me? You really are a fool.”

“I trust you because you are the only one who has ever treated me with kindness before,” Mick said, voice dropping to almost a whisper.

His response baffled Keith somewhat but he refused to let that show. He had most definitely _not_ been kind to Mick these past couple of days. What was he talking about? The first time they met, Keith had almost killed him, and he had not been much warmer after that.

“What are you talking about?”

“Back there,” Mick said, gesturing back to the way they had come from, to the camp, “when that wolf was on top of me, when that wolf was about to kill me, you saved me. You came to my aid and you saved my life. You could have easily let me die. You could have easily let me die and then come back to steal the gold. There would be no one around to know what you did. But you didn’t do that. You saved me.”

“Perhaps I should have let you die and robbed your corpse. Perhaps that’s what you deserve.” Keith said. He felt uncomfortable with the way Mick was talking about him, like he was a hero.

Mick frowned. “Perhaps you should have,” he said sadly. “I know I have not known you long Keith,” Mick continued, “but believe me when I say that you are the closest thing to a friend I have ever had. I need you to take me to Wattica. I need you to.”

Mick was practically begging for Keith to take pity on him and it made Keith feel uncomfortable. The idea of Mick considering him as some type of friend also made him feel this way. “I’m afraid you will have to find someone else,” he said. How could Mick seriously expect him to still want to guide him all the way to Wattica after all that had just happened after only two days spent with him. Tears of desperation began to form in Mick’s eyes and for a moment Keith though the elf was about to start crying. Thankfully for Keith, no tears escaped Mick’s eyes.

“Please,” Mick tried one more time, desperate.

“No.” Keith was firm with his answer, but he looked away from Mick after he spoke, afraid that the pathetic look the elf had would change his mind.

“I could- I could pay you more,” Mick hesitantly said. He had intended to save the rest of his money for when he reached Wattica and try to start a new life with it, but if this could convince Keith to stay with him then he would give it up.

“You have more?” Keith asked, turning his head in the direction of the camp as if looking for Mick’s satchel.

Mick nodded. “I can pay you double,” he proposed. “Forty gold pieces for you to guide me to Wattica.”

“Forty gold pieces,” Keith mused aloud. He rubbed at his chin as he thought about the money. That much gold could buy him a lot. He would be able to buy ten more horses with all that money and still have some to spare. It was an enticing deal.

“Fine,” he eventually relented. “But you will still buy me a new horse when we reach Lyndale as well as any supplies we need for our journey.”

“Okay!” Mick agreed loudly, bouncing up and down on his toes in excitement. “Thank you so much Keith! I promise nothing like this will ever happen again.”

At the mention of Catori, Keith turned back to his fallen companion. He sighed sadly at the sight of her mangled body. She had been a good horse and often times his only company. She would be missed by Keith dearly.

“I know it won’t,” Keith said, eyes flickering back to Mick, “because if it does, I’ll kill you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you guys think!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally finished writing this chapter! Thank you so much to everyone whose taken the time to read this.

Because of their early start, Mick and Keith were able to reach Lyndale by midday.

As the small human town came into view, Mick felt butterflies form in the pit of his stomach. This would be his first time ever going to another city and he was beyond excited as well as a little nervous.

Mick looked on in awe as they entered the town. The wide stone roads were surrounded by walls of colorfully painted shops and inns that seemed to tower over the streets. The timber architecture seemed to be stacked on top of each other making the whole place seem busy and crowded. The people of Lyndale seemed just as colorful and lively. There was the faint sound of joyful music throughout the town and the people made a ruckus dancing and laughing and chatting with one another. Haggling over sale prices and shouts of drunken laughter from nearby pubs rang out from all directions. Vendors lined the streets and local children ran about trying to sell small trinkets or treats to the visitors of the city. It was a sight like no other to Mick.

Lyndale was a trading town and most of the people there were simply passing through, buying and selling goods or resting from their travels like Mick and Keith. The two of them stuck out like sore thumbs though. Not only was it uncommon to see an elf and a human travelling together but Keith and Mick were also wearing sufficiently blood-stained clothes. Where Keith had the blood of the wolves splattered onto his shirt and trousers, Mick’s clothes were pretty much covered in the dark red reminder of the night before. When Keith had cut the head off the wolf that had pinned Mick to the ground, a lot of blood had been spilled onto him. Mick felt disgusting and the wary looks of the townspeople around him escalated that feeling.

“We need new clothes,” Keith commented, also noticing the odd glances coming their way. “That will be our first purchase of the day,” he decided.

Keith led Mick closer to the center of Lyndale where more of the stalls and shops were set up. As he did so, he kept his eye out for any place where he would find some new shirt and trousers for he and Mick.

“Do you have any other money in that satchel of yours?” Keith asked, spotting a promising looking shop. “Other than the gold.” He lowered his voice to avoid any passerby from hearing what Mick currently had in his possession.

“A bit,” Mick answered, dropping his voice as well. “Enough to buy what we need I think.”

“Good,” Keith replied. Yes, he was going to force Mick to pay for their new supplies no matter what, but it was definitely more inconspicuous to pay in standard currency rather than elvish gold.

He steered Mick into the small shop and the elf’s eyes immediately lit up at the sight of all the goods inside.

“Oh, wow,” Mick said, looking about the place. “Look at this!” Mick ran up to an exotic bird squawking loudly in its cage hanging from the ceiling. Mick pressed his face up close to it, his nose practically slipping between the bars of its cage. “Hello,” he said softly to the bird.

Keith looked over to the shop owner who was standing behind the counter of the shop and regarding Mick as one would regard a blood-stained elf who liked to talk to birds. Keith decided to just ignore Mick and his odd behavior and go ahead and pick out what they needed. He watched Mick stick his fingers through the bird cage out of the corner of his eye as he told the man what clothes he needed.

When the man went to the backroom to fetch the new clothes, Keith called Mick over to him at the counter. “Mick,” he hissed out, gaining the elf’s attention. “Get over here.”

Mick came bounding over with a smile on his face, but not before bidding farewell to the bird. “Yes?”

“Stop acting so strangely,” Keith instructed him sternly. “You are behaving like a child.”

“Sorry,” Mick said, though he looked anything but apologetic. His smile stayed put on his face and he continued to look around the shop with fascination. Keith rolled his eyes and sighed. Whoever said elves were wise, mature, and regal had clearly never met Mick.

“Here you go,” the shop owner said, coming back with two new shirts and two new pairs of trousers. Keith motioned for Mick to pay for the goods with an elbow to the ribs and Mick handed over the correct amount of money in standard form.

“Did you see that Keith?” Mick said, bouncing alongside Keith as they exited the shops now donning their new clothing. “That bird was like none I’ve ever seen before. I wonder what kind it was. Maybe we can look for a book on birds too,” he suggested. “Oh, that person’s selling books!” he announced loudly, pointing at a middle-aged man pushing around a cart of miscellaneous goods.

“No,” Keith said, pushing Mick’s hand down. “No books. We need to focus. We will simply fetch our needed supplies than leave.” Mick’s excitement was getting on his nerves already and they had just arrived in Lyndale. Keith counted his breathing and tried to focus on the forty gold coins he would be receiving in two weeks or so time.

Keith watched Mick as they began walking through the streets, pushing through the throngs of people and making their way towards further into the center of town. The elf’s jaw was practically hanging open and his eyes travelled from sight to sight quickly, not wanting to miss a single thing. Mick had never experienced anything like this before.

“Hurry up,” Keith urged, reaching out his arm to grab Mick by the wrist and pull him along. The elf kept stopping in his tracks, clearly mesmerized by all that there was to take in. Keith dragged Mick through the city and past all the vendors yelling about discounted prices and one of a kind goods. Mick let Keith guide him past all the shops as he looked on in silent wonder. Keith seemed to have a particular destination in mind for them to go to and Mick tried his best to keep up with Keith’s quick pace and not get too distracted by all the wonderful sights around him. He had never seen so many people before.

“What are those?” Mick asked, stopping abruptly and pulling at Keith’s arm. Keith looked over to where the elf was pointing. An elderly woman was sat at a stand with all sorts of fruits and vegetables on display.

Before Keith could respond, Mick was prying himself from Keith’s grip on his wrist and skipping over to the produce stand.

“Hello,” he chirped cheerily, greeting the old woman.

“Oh, hello dear,” she replied, smiling wide and revealing a set of crooked teeth. “Would you like to buy anything today? The peaches are especially good this time of year.”

“Peaches?” Mick asked, looking at all the fresh food in front of him. “What are those?” he asked, turning to ask Keith who had finally caught up to him.

“You don’t know what peaches are?” Keith asked. He was looking at him in the same manner he had when Mick had revealed he had never come across a raccoon before. “Really?”

Mick flushed slightly, but his excitement level remained high. “No,” he said, shaking his head. He looked back to the old woman. “Which ones are the peaches?” he asked her brightly.

She too seemed a bit puzzled at Mick’s lack of awareness of the common fruit but did not say anything. Instead, she pointed a wrinkled finger to a shelf full of orangey-pink fruits. Mick picked one up in his hand and gasped at the unexpected texture.

“Oh!” he said. “They’re so soft.” 

To Keith’s utter amazement and somewhat embarrassment, the elf lifted the fruit to his face and felt it against his cheek.

“Um, I’m sorry,” Keith said to the elderly lady who was now openly staring at Mick with confusion written across her face. “This is his first time in Lyndale,” he explained, feeling like he had to excuse Mick’s behavior.

The woman’s face softened. “Where are you from, laddie?” she asked the elf.

Mick suddenly appeared a bit coy. “I come from the kingdom of Alonen,” he answered.

“Ah,” she said, nodding. “The land of the great King Rúcimion.”

Mick tensed up at the mention of his father. “Uh, yes. Yes, that is the place. Um, how much?” he asked, eager to change the subject. “For the peach?” The name of the fruit felt foreign on his lips.

“Four pence,” she responded.

Mick reached into his satchel only to find he carried no more pennies. Instead, he pulled out a golden coin. “Will this do?” he asked.

The old woman looked as if she was going to nearly faint. “Oh my! Yes, that will do plenty. Though I am afraid I do not have any change for that amount of money,” she said, stumbling over her words due to the shock of Mick offering such a payment.

Keith looked around nervously as other nearby vendors and shoppers looked over to Mick. It was not a common sight to see anybody carrying around gold in Lyndale, which was a relatively poor place full of commoners.

“Will you put that away?” Keith hissed to Mick under his breath. He shoved Mick’s hand down and reached into his own pocket and produced a handful of assorted coins. “Here,” he said to the lady, shoving the coins towards her. “Keep the change.” Then, he dragged Mick away from the stand.

“Will you please slow down?” Mick asked as Keith hurriedly led him down a narrow backstreet away from the public eye. “What’s wrong? Why are you upset?”

Keith breathed out heavily through his nose. Why would he not be upset? “I would prefer to keep a low profile,” he said, voice low. “And you going around flaunting your riches is not helping. It’s bad enough with your constant gawking.”

“Oh,” Mick said, now understanding Keith’s behavior. “My apologies,” he mumbled, casting his gaze down to the cobblestone.

Keith felt bad for snapping at Mick again. Clearly, Mick really did not understand. “No, it’s alright,” Keith responded. “I did not warn you the attention that behavior would gain.”

Mick felt a bit like a child in the way he kept apologizing to Keith, but he just wanted to make things right. He needed Keith. He had to show him how to get to Wattica. He toyed with the newly purchased fruit in his hands. “Would you like to try the peach?” he asked Keith, holding it out like a peace offering.

Keith’s frown completely disappeared, and he tried to stifle the laugh that threatened to spill from his lips. “No,” he said, declining. “You go ahead and eat that.” He watched as Mick hesitantly brought the peach up to his lips and took a small bite. Immediately, the elf smiled.

“It’s good!” he said, juice dripping down his chin which his tongue darted out of his mouth to lick up. For some reason, Keith found it difficult to tear his eyes away from the sight.

“Good,” he said, swallowing thickly. “You finish that up now. There’s someone we need to meet.”

Mick hummed and continued to eat. He followed Keith down the alley and to a small, shabby looking building with boarded up windows after finishing up his snack. The blue paint that covered the building was dull due to wear and tear and was chipped significantly.

“We’re going in here?” Mick asked, looking up at the building skeptically.

“Yep,” Keith responded, knocking loudly on the front door three times.

A few moments later a young man was opening the door. He was dressed in torn clothes and had tired-looking eyes which brightened significantly at the sight of Keith in his doorway.

“Keith!” the man said, sounding surprised. “What are you doing here?” It was quite obvious the man was not expecting Keith to be paying him a visit.

“Hello Bill,” Keith said. “Can we come in?” he asked instead of answering the other man’s question.

Bill finally looked to Mick at the mention of “we”. He seemed skeptical of the stranger’s presence but did not voice any concern. “Of course,” he said, opening the door wider for them and gesturing for them to enter. “Come on inside.”

They entered the building which Mick soon realized was actually a home. A bed sat in the corner of the room next to a burning fireplace, and a small makeshift kitchen sat opposite of it. Standing nervously by the table stood a small female child, hiding partially behind one of the two wooden chairs in a shy manner. Mick kept his eyes on her as Bill and Keith spoke to one another.

“Sorry about the mess,” Bill said, gesturing loosely to the whole place. “I would have cleaned up if I knew you were coming by for a visit.”

“It’s no worry,” Keith said, taking off his pack and setting it by the door. “We will not be staying long. I just came by because I am in need of some supplies.”

Bill nodded as if this was what he was expecting to hear. “Why am I not surprised?” he joked lightly. “What is it that you need?” he asked.

“I am guiding Mick to Wattica,” Keith said, gesturing to the elf who was standing quite awkwardly by the doorway. “We need another pack and a cloak as well.”

“Wattica?” Bill asked, nose scrunching up at the mention of the far-off city. It was not a common destination spot.

“Don’t ask,” Keith said. “I do not quite understand why either.”

Bill shrugged and turned to go dig around in a large trunk by the bed. That was something Keith liked about Bill very much. He never asked too many questions. That was why he always returned here to purchase new supplies. That, and the fact that Bill sold his goods at much lower rates on account that most of his possessions were stolen.

The small child ran up to the two of them while her father was busy looking around for a pack and cloak.

“Hello,” the girl said, looking towards Mick. “Are you an elf?” Her question was blunt and might have been taken offensively if she wasn’t staring at Mick so inquisitively. 

Mick seemed just as perplexed by the small human’s presence as she was by his. “I am,” he said slowly, crouching down to be level with her while they spoke. He tilted his head to the side. “Are you a human?” he asked her.

The girl giggled and nodded her head as if Mick’s question had been ridiculous. “Can I touch your ears?” she asked, clasping her hands in front of her. 

Mick seemed caught off guard by her question, but his gentle smile did not falter. “Of course,” he said politely, pushing his brunette tresses back to expose his pointed ears. The little girl’s eyes lit up at the sight of them. Hesitantly, she lifted her hand at gently caressed the ridge of Mick’s ear, stroking her small fingers down it from top to bottom. She giggled as she did so. Mick let out a laugh as well, the unfamiliar sensation tickling him.

“I’ve never seen an elf before,” she said to Mick once she was done feeling his ear.

“Well, I’ve never met a human child before.” This too caused the girl to giggle.

“Enn,” Bill scolded, coming up behind her and interrupting her and Mick’s conversation. “Do not bother our guests. Go play outside,” he instructed.

“Yes Da,” the girl said obediently, slinking out the front door with a glance back at Mick and Keith.

“She really wasn’t a bother,” Mick said as Bill laid out his findings for them.

Bill did not respond to his comment though. “Here,” he said to Keith. “These should serve you well. They are in very good condition. Hardly used.”

Keith stared at the pack and cloak laid out on the table. Bill was right. They were in pretty decent condition for most likely being stolen off the backs of some unlucky travelers. “How much?” he asked.

Bill mulled it over for a minute before answering. “For both items? Twelve loros.”

“Twelve?” Keith asked, eyebrows shooting up to his forehead. “You must think me a fool. I wouldn’t pay eight for that.”

“Well, in case you haven’t noticed,” Bill defended. “I have a kid to feed.”

“Is that supposed to justify you robbing me?” Keith shot back, temper flaring at the idea of anyone trying to pull the wool over his eyes.

“If you don’t want to buy it, take your business somewhere else then.” Bill said with an air of finality. He crossed his arms against his chest.

Just as Keith opened his mouth to argue with Bill some more, Mick interrupted and spoke up. “Here,” he said, holding out two gold coins. “This should be enough.”

Both men froze. Bill looked from Mick to Keith to Mick again. He reached out and took the coins in a single swoop. “Take your stuff Keith,” Bill said, pocketing the gold. His eyes lingered on Mick as he spoke, and Mick pulled his satchel closer to his body protectively. He remembered Keith’s warning about keeping a low profile and not flaunting his gold around. Perhaps he had just made a mistake paying Bill that much, but he did not carry the amount of loros necessary to pay him in the standard currency.

Keith did not say anymore as he grabbed the cloak and pack off the table. He piled them into his arms and marched to the door to put on his own pack. “Come on Mick,” he said, pulling open the door and ushering the elf through.

“Keith,” Bill called out, as Mick slipped out the door and Keith turned to follow. Keith swiveled around to meet Bill’s gaze. “Be careful with that one,” he warned. “He smells like trouble.”

Keith simply ducked out the door without another word.

Outside, in the small street, Enn was playing with a frayed cloth doll. Bill’s daughter looked up as the pair left her house and made her way over to them again. She carried her doll in her right hand and was clutching something small in her left.

When she reached Keith and Mick, she held out her hand, palm up. Inside her palm was a small piece of carved wood, probably made by her. She lifted her hand and offered the tiny trinket up to Mick. “For you,” she said, bowing her head to him slightly.

The trinket was not very well-crafted. Keith assumed it was supposed to resemble a flower of some sort, but it looked rough on the edges and very unsymmetrical, not at all like a flower should be. Mick, however, looked at the small scrap of wood like it was the finest piece of art he had ever seen.

“Really?” he asked, shocked by the girl’s kind gesture. “For me? Thank you!” He happily accepted the gift from the little girl and examined it carefully in his hands. “It’s beautiful.”

“My da says one day I can sell them,” she said proudly, puffing out her chest.

Mick tucked the ornament into his satchel as to not lose it. His next actions surprised Keith greatly. When Mick’s hand reappeared from inside the bag, he was holding a gold coin. He held it out to Enn.

“For you,” Mick said, repeating what the girl had said earlier. “For such a beautiful gift. It is a great honor to be your first customer.”

The child’s eyes grew wide at the sight of the coin. Judging by her ragged clothes, dirty shoes, and her father’s sketchy profession, the girl had most likely never seen such a large amount of money before. She grabbed the coin from Mick hastily and hugged it to her chest, dropping her doll to the ground in the process.

“Thank you!” she responded gleefully.

Mick bent over and picked up her doll for her. “Oops, don’t forget her,” he said, handing it back to her. “Maybe you can buy her a new dress,” he commented taking in the sight of the filthy piece of fabric the doll was wrapped in.

“Oh yes!” Enn said. “I’ll be able to make her lots of dresses now! She’ll be like a princess.”

Mick beamed at her. “Go on then,” he encouraged. “Go try and find some pretty fabric for them.”

The girl took off down the road, skipping the entire way. Both Mick and Keith watched her run until she turned the corner completely disappeared from sight.

“Why did you do that?”

Mick looked back to Keith who was staring at him with furrowed brows. 

“Do what?” he questioned.

“Give her that. That junk wasn’t worth the mud on my boots and you just gave her enough to buy food for weeks,” Keith said. “You did the same inside. I thought I warned you not to do that.”

“I did not have the proper amount of money to pay for Bill’s goods,” Mick defended.

“What about the child?” Keith pressed. “You did not need to pay her anything.”

“It was just one coin,” Mick downplayed. Keith was overreacting about the whole thing. A single coin would not be able to feed someone for that long. Would it? “Is it really worth that much?”

Keith gaped at him. “You really have no idea,” he said, shaking his head in disbelief. 

“What do you mean?”

“I have never met anyone who carries as much money as you do,” Keith stated. “And yet you seem to disregard what you carry with you entirely. Don’t you understand how wealthy you are?” he asked.

Of course Mick knew he was well off. He had known his entire life as the son of the king. Though it was true that he was just learning of the extent of the worth of the gold he had in possession. He felt a tad abashed with the way Keith was looking at him, scrutinizing him.

“I come from a wealthy family,” Mick explained. He did not go into further detail. “But I care not about my riches. That is why I take no issue in giving it away.”

Keith shook his head, not understanding why Mick would feel this way. “You are the strangest creature I have ever met,” he said. “I did not know common elves could be so rich. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you were a prince or something.”

Mick forced out a choked laugh. “Ha! Me?” he asked, pointing to himself. “A prince? That would be ridiculous.”

Keith shook is head again at Mick’s stammering and huffed out a chuckle. “See what I mean?” he asked. “You really are the strangest person I’ve ever met.”

Mick frowned. He mentally debated telling Keith the truth about him.

“I was never allowed to leave my house,” he said eventually, deciding to let Keith in on part of his background.

“Wait, what?” Keith asked, teasing tone slipping away. “Never?” He appeared confused by this information.

Mick shook his head. “That day I ran into you,” he said, “that was the first day I had ever been in the outdoors.”

Keith looked at him with an expression Mick was unfamiliar with. “Why weren’t you allowed to leave?” Keith asked quietly, as if worried he might upset Mick. Suddenly, and for the first time, Keith felt some form of compassion towards Mick. At least, he understood why Mick was so peculiar now and did not understand so many simple concepts. Mick had lived an unbelievably sheltered life. No wonder he did not know what a peach was or what a raccoon looked like. How could he have? It all started to make a lot more sense now to Keith.

“My parents forbade it,” Mick said. “All my life I dreamed of escaping there, but I didn’t realize there was so much I would need to learn.”

Any remaining anger or resentment Keith held towards Mick left him and was quickly replaced with pity. It appeared to be that Mick was not foolish or lacking in intelligence but just clueless, completely lacking in awareness, but not by his own fault.

“Why would your parents forbid you to leave your home?” Keith asked.

Mick shrugged. He was visibly upset by the conversation they were having. It was clear to Keith that this was not a topic Mick wanted to be talking about. At least, in this moment.

“Well, let’s go find a room for the night,” Keith suggested, attempting to rid the air of any tension. “Then, I can show you around some more and you can see what town life is really like.”

“Really?” Mick asked, perking up.

“Yeah,” Keith agreed. “It seems that you have a lot to learn.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew! I finally got around to updating this... hopefully, the next chapter won't take nearly as long to get out. Thanks to everyone who takes the time to read this! I hope you enjoy.

The inn Keith led Mick to was a dingy little place, much like the house of Bill that they had visited beforehand. The tiles were falling off the roof and moss and ivy grew in the cracks of the building’s faded exterior walls. The inside was not in much better shape. It was dimly lit with only a few flickering candles lighting up the main room. Behind a counter sat a tall heavy-set man with a long greying beard and a scar across his cheek. Keith approached him right away upon entering.

“I need a room,” Keith said, placing down a handful of loros.

The owner of the inn looked Keith up and down before glancing over at Mick. Mick visibly shrunk under the man’s gaze, intimidated by his size and scowl. No doubt the inkeeper was intrigued for an elf to be visiting his establishment.

“What brings you two to Lyndale?” the man asked gruffly, finally taking Keith’s money off the counter and turning to rustle through a drawer. It seemed he found the two to be acceptable patrons. He procured a key out the drawer and handed it over to Keith.

“Business,” Keith answered flatly, swiping the key out of the inn owner’s hand quickly. He turned to Mick. “Let’s go.”

Mick obeyed him silently and followed Keith down an even darker hallway and up a flight of crooked wooden stairs which creaked loudly as they climbed them. A hallway of rooms greeted them at the top of the stairwell and Keith squinted down at the key, trying to read the engraved number in the dim hallway. After taking a moment to figure out which room they had rented for the night, Keith made his way down the hallway and unlocked one of the many doors on the left. He held the door open for Mick, who scurried in quickly.

The room was small. Two short wooden beds were pushed against the wall and a wardrobe stood alone in the corner. The ceiling was low and there were no windows. Mick felt cramped already after only just having stepped in. Mick hated small spaces. They made him feel trapped. Keith didn’t seem to mind though as he strode through the door. He walked past Mick, who was standing by the door taking everything in, and plopped down onto one of the beds. He threw his pack to the ground haphazardly and let out a sigh before looking over at the forlorn looking elf.

“Are you just going to stand there all evening?” Keith asked, tone slightly teasing. His eyes lingered on Mick though, genuinely curious as to what Mick was thinking at the moment. He looked uncomfortable and fidgeted where he stood.

“I- no,” he answered, snapping out of his daze.

“C’mon,” Keith said, sitting up. “We should go wash up before going to explore what Lyndale has to offer.” The look on his face did not make Mick believe that Keith really wanted to go out though.

“Go out?” Mick asked, a little shocked that Keith was serious about showing him around the town. He had assumed that it might have just been a way for Keith to try and cheer him up after he had gone and foolishly admitted to never having gotten to visit anywhere.

“We will not have any time to do it tomorrow,” Keith said, already getting up off of the bed he had only just laid down in. “I plan on purchasing a horse in the morning and getting on our way straight after.” He was walking to the door as he said all this, pocketing the room key and gesturing for Mick to follow him. “Washroom is downstairs,” Keith said opening the door and looking back at Mick. “I saw a sign for it when we came in.”

If Mick was unhappy about the room, he was mortified by the state of the washroom, if one could even call it that. Essentially, it was just a room full of rusted water pumps, buckets, and rags. A window was covered by a small door that one would open and throw any dirty water out of when finished. It was filthy, and Mick’s nose scrunched up immediately upon entering. The air felt heavy and humid and clung to Mick’s skin. The floor was slippery with water and the washed-off dirt from the many travelers who had visited before. Once again though, Keith did not seem to mind.

He picked up a bucket off the floor and began to fill it with water from one of the pumps. Mick watched with fascination as he moved the lever of the pump up and down and the water came out. Back at the palace, Mick never had to do anything like that. Although his father kept him hidden away from the rest of the kingdom, he still had servants, sworn to secrecy, that did those kinds of things for him. He never had to draw his own bath or anything of the like. Mick continued watching Keith with wonder as the man dipped his hands into the pail and splashed the clean water onto his face, scrubbing at it with his hands. There was still a sufficient amount of dried blood clinging to his skin and hair and the water turned pink as it fell to the floor.

“What’re you waiting around for?” Keith asked, now dousing his hair with the water.

Mick tore his eyes away from the droplets that fell from the black strands of Keith’s hair and down onto his shirt, dampening the faded blue material.

“Um, nothing,” he said, hastening to fetch his own bucket and fill it.

Filling it proved to be more difficult than Keith had made it appear though and Mick struggled to pump the water. He felt more than a little embarrassed when Keith had to come help him fill it.

“I suppose one would not build up much strength being locked inside his whole life,” Keith mused as he handed the now full bucket over to the elf.

Mick just nodded his thanks. He knew Keith was merely joking, but it still felt odd for Keith to share the knowledge of that information. For so long, Mick had carried that burden alone. He was not quite sure he was ready to share the weight of it.

“Thank you,” he mumbled as he began washing himself.

It felt nice to be able to rid himself of the dirt that gathered in his hair and on his skin from the past few days. He was much worse for wear than Keith. Not only had he been thoroughly soaked in wolf blood, but all his fleeing from the guards had resulted in him being coated with a thick layer of grime. He winced as he rubbed at his forehead. The gash he had received from falling down the hill on his first night of freedom was still tender and stung as he tried to clean it. Keith took notice of Mick attempting to clean the cut blindly. He picked up a rag and walked over to the elf, who was seeming increasingly frustrated with the task of cleaning off his face and neck.

“Here,” he said. “Allow me.”

Keith dipped the worn-out piece of fabric into the water and rung out the excess moisture before bringing it up to Mick’s face and dabbing gently at the cut. Mick stilled under his touch and stared at the man with his eyes opened wide. Keith worked methodically at wiping down Mick’s porcelain skin, erasing any dirt and leaving only small scrapes behind.

“There,” Keith said, backing away to admire his work. “All done.”

Mick was watching Keith intently and the man suddenly felt an air of insecurity come over him. He wondered to himself why he had just done such a thing. He had only just met Mick and Keith was not one to do such kind acts for people, even for the people that he did know. He brushed it away as an act of pity. He felt bad for the elf, yes. That was what it was. The poor thing couldn’t even manage to wash his face, or at least that’s what Keith told himself.

“Let’s go,” he said gruffly, turning away from Mick quickly. He made sure to keep any and all emotion out of his voice. He did not want Mick thinking for a moment that Keith was anything more than his paid guide to Wattica. “And stop looking at me like that. I only stepped in because you were taking so long.”

Mick frowned at Keith’s words but followed behind him yet again with no protest.

Lyndale in the evening turned out to be not much different from Lyndale during the daytime. People still bustled about in crowds, pushing past others as they all went their own ways. Mick found it amazing really, to see so many people on their own individual journeys. He followed close behind Keith as they walked through the busy streets, not wanting to lose sight of his guide. The city was alive with merchants and shopkeepers calling out for people to come buy and trade goods and it was easy to get lost.

“Where do you want to go?” Keith asked when the pair had reached a slightly less crowded side street and they could hear each other speak easier. They were out here for Mick after all. It only made sense for him to decide their destination.

“Well,” Mick said, almost appearing a bit shy, “I am rather hungry. Perhaps we could get something to eat?”

Saying he was hungry felt like the biggest understatement of Mick’s life. The elf had not eaten a full meal in days, relying solely on the bits of bread and dried meat Keith had occasionally tossed his way and the peach he had bought earlier in the day. He felt as if he could eat a whole feast and was pleased when Keith agreed to go find some food.

Keith took them to the closest pub for them to have their supper in. He was getting rather tired of dodging all the people in the streets and figured it would be easier to keep an eye on Mick if they were sitting at a table as opposed to eating as they walked about. Keith had been with Mick long enough to know now that the elf had a tendency to lose his focus. No doubt Mick would see something he found interesting and wander off.

They took a seat at a small table in the back of the pub. While Mick looked around at all the interesting people and decorations, Keith ordered them both food. The pub was similar to the inn in the sense that it was falling apart but differed when it came to the amount of people inside. The interior was crawling with all sorts of characters. Large tattooed men chugged away at their drinks at the bar while busty women in tight-fitting dresses and corsets danced to the music being played by the lively band.

“Here you are,” said the barmaid, setting down two bowls of warm stew in front of the pair as well as a platter of bread and two pints of mead. Her presence snapped Mick back to reality and away from his ogling of the other pub-goers. The barmaid left with a curtsy and a wink in Keith’s direction.

Keith smirked at the young woman’s subtle flirting before digging into his meal. Mick stared after the woman in confusion.

“What was that?” he asked Keith, turning back to look at the man who was hastily eating his food.

“What was what?” asked Keith around a mouthful of bread.

“That thing with her eye?” Mick elaborated. He then demonstrated what he was referring to by winking at Keith with exaggeration.

“Nothing,” Keith said, reminding himself that elf customs differed from those of a human and that Mick had never had the opportunity to explore outside of his home. He reminded himself to be patient. “It is just something one might do if they are… trying to let someone in on a secret I suppose.”

“Oh,” Mick said, nodding in understanding while he nibbled on his bread. “And what secret was she letting you in on?”

Keith barked out a laugh. “That she’d like to get in my trousers more than likely.”

“In your trousers? What is so special that you carry in your- oh.”

Mick’s cheeks turned a brilliant shade of red before the elf tucked his head down and began to spoon the stew into his mouth hurriedly. Keith just laughed as the realization of what he was insinuating hit Mick. Even though Mick was much like a helpless child, thought Keith, he still brought on a fair share of humorous moments.

After their hearty meal, in which Keith had convinced Mick to try mead for the first time much to the elf’s disliking, Mick and Keith went back outside to wander the streets of Lyndale some more. It seemed to Keith that Mick was enjoying himself. He continued smiling like a fool and asking Keith lots of questions as they went from vendor to vendor to look at what goods were for sale. And although Keith still found Mick’s wonder to be a tad annoying, he also found himself seeing the elf in a new light. Mick was simply curious. He wanted to see what the world had to offer and had many years of catching up to do. So, if he wanted to see the different types of ducks for sale or smell the various kinds of flowers, Keith could not really hold that against him. Besides, it was better that he got all his oohing and aahing out of his system before their trek to Wattica really began. When they travelled, Keith would be less patient with Mick’s endless stream of questions regarding anything and everything.

It was well after dark when Keith suggested they head back to the inn.

“Come,” he said, pulling at Mick’s arm. “We need to rest for tomorrow’s travels.”

Mick pouted slightly. “But there’s still so much to see,” he protested.

“Aye,” said Keith, “and you can spend all the time you wish exploring once you have reached Wattica.”

Mick nodded, relenting, and allowed Keith to lead them back to the inn for the night. He could have stayed and explored Lyndale for years it felt like, but he knew Keith was right. He needed to get to Wattica. He needed to make sure he was safe and far away from Alonen before he began his new life.

The man and the elf made their way back to their room for the night and tucked themselves into their beds, both exhausted from the past few day’s events.

It was only then that Mick spoke up again, speaking aloud the thoughts that had been on his mind all night.

“Thank you, Keith,” he said, gazing up at the dark cobweb-covered ceiling above him. “You have shown me tremendous kindness these past few days. I shall not forget all that you have done for me. I know that I have been quite the pest, quite the burden, but I- well, you today- tonight was wonderful.” Mick licked his lips before carrying on. “It may seem strange, but I have always had this feeling, deep inside me, that I am just drifting through life, watching as fate unfolds and never truly living during all my years. Tonight, I felt more present than I ever have before.”

Keith’s soft snoring was the only response he got.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I tried to make this chapter a little more fun and lighthearted. Let me know what you think1

**Author's Note:**

> Special thanks to @AliciasClarke (fyeahgila) for suggesting that I make Mick an elf! It was just what this story needed and has given me so many ideas for future chapters! What did you guys think?


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